The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-11-05
Our 0lio.
AT THE STAKE.

K | Cdulc Ntct NIlct 4 0OS lFdiS VI tAf3C
(said old Sol Taylor, Of Georgetown, Col,
the other day), and now I'm bit over 60.
Yen can figure that up and see how long
I've been .skirmishing with Indians, griz-
zlies, panthers, rattlesnakes and the other
ply varInints of mountain, plain and prai-
rid There hasn't been an Indian war for
tlH last half century that | haven't had a
hand in, and I reckon I've had as many
stand up fights on my own hook as any
scout or hunter you can name. l have
been captured and put to the torture twice,
and been captured and got away without
torture three or four times. In times Of
peace have lived with the Pawnees, XII
owas, Apaches, Sioux, Cheyennes and
| Baek-feet, and in times of war have fought
all these tribes. Maybe 1 am, therefore, a
pretty good judge of Indian nature, and
when YOU ask me which tribe of redskin:
has the most honor, reply that Inever yet
saw an Indian that l would trust rod
The only reason that some of them have
served the government as scouts and trait
ors is because they happened to hate their
own kind just then little worse than they
did the white man. However, you want
some of my own adventures, and will give
you one.
Before the days of railroads in the west
a man who was spelling for an Indian fight
could get it within rifle shot of Fort kear-
ney, and this state of affairs continued up
to 1866 and later. The last time l was
captured was on the Smoky Hill fork of the
Kansas river, and it was while the railroad
was being pushed across the state of Kan
sas A railroad through the Indian country
meant goodby to game and goodby to the
Indian. The redskin realized this as for
chilly as the white man, and he was on hand
to fight the progress of the road. He was
foolish enough to suppose that the killing
off of few scouts and surveyors would stop
all work, and by the time the road was half
way across the state of Kansas every In
dian who had any patriotism about him was
in front of it and doing battle. The con-
tractors had to employ great many scouts
and fighters to protect the advance men, and
l was one of those thus engaged. In the
FIVE months of my employment | killed
thirty-nine Indians and brought thirty y-nine
scalps to camp, and there were other scouts
who did as well, or better. We did not lose
near as many men in proportion, as efought
entirely on the defensive, and had all the
advantage.
My capture occurred one morning in Sep
tember. One of the engineers of the road
had been on spree, and while verging on
delirium tremens had left camp and wan
dered off, He had been gone two or three
hours before he was missed, and at mid
night of rainy, gusty night six of us start
ed out on foot to hunt him up. Asno one
knew the direction he had taken, each of
us went his own way. There were plenty
of Indians around us, and scout had been
wounded that afternoon within half mile
of our camp. Each man of US who went
out took big chances of being captured, but
there was no hesitating or hanging back on
that account. Our camp was close to the
river, and my first move was to cross the
stream. The water was no more than waist
deep, and I had no trouble in reaching the
other bank. The engineer, whose name
was Sewell, had gone off in his shirt and
trousers and boots. He was bareheaded,
out of his senses, and had no weapons of
any sort. My only hope in finding him
was that he would become exhausted before
going far, and sit down.
Once across the stream, | held to the
north for about mile, and then turned to
the left and kept on until had described
quarter of circle and come to the river
again. l then went back to the starting
point and bore to the right, and it was while
on my way to the river that four Indians
suddenly rose up from the grass at my feet
and seized me. l can't say was off my
guard, but it did seem to me as | thought
it over afterward that l should have let the
skunks get such an advantage of me. ]
could see fairly well for twenty feet or more
around me, but the fellows hugged the
earth so closely, and happened to walk
so straight into the trap, that | was done
for before | knew what was going on. Not
veil was uttered-not word spoken.
Two of them tripped me up, and the others
piled on to me and disarmed me, and in
less than minute my arms were jerked
behind me and made fast, and away we went
to the northwest on trot. This was main
tanned for about mile, when we came upon
party of fifty mounted redskins, and in
the midst of them | found Sewell. He
was PROSTATE with exhaustion and fear and
when spoke to him, which act the Indians
seemed rather to encourage, he began crying
and sobbing like child. was lifted up
behind warrior and off he went at gal
Iop, riding to the west and keeping close
to the river until we had made al least ff-
teen miles. Then we came upon an Indian
village as it was growing daylight.
My feelings during that ride were any
thing but agreeable, can assure you.
The fact that was not killed at the mo-
ment of my capture had a significance
which I well understood. l was just as
certain to go to the stake for torture as l
remained prisoner, and did heap of
thinking in hopes to get plan for escape.
Mounted behind an Indian, my arms tied
so tightly that was constant sufferer,
and obliged to keep my balance by the use
of my legs alone, there was no earthly show
for me to carry out any scheme. Sewell
was mounted on the horse just ahead of
me, and his conduct went far to distress
and unnerve me. He kept up constant
lamentation, and was continually beseech-
ing me not to let the Indians do him harm.
Drink had lost its effect on him, and to
come out of his spell and find himself in
the hands of the relentless redskins had
taken all the pluck out of him. He was
doing the very worst thing he could have
done, for heard the Indians gloating over
the prospect when he should come to the
stake. There was considerable hurrah
when we rode into the village, and had l
not been able to understand word of the
dialect, the looks and actions of the Indians
would have been sufficient to tell me what
fate they intended to mete out to us.
Seweli was placed in one lodge and in
another, and the war party were soon en-
gagged with breakfast. 1t was not yet
fully daylight when I was pulled off the
horse, and therefore l had not yet been
recognized was pretty generally known
to all the tribes, and they had named me